In Brief

Officers' trial winding down

CLOSING arguments are set to begin this morning in the jury trial of two Winnipeg police officers.

Lawyers' final submissions were to begin on Monday, but the trial was delayed over a legal issue. The media cannot report details relating to the delay.

Const. Darrel Keith Selley is charged with attempted murder using a firearm and criminal negligence causing bodily harm in the shooting of Kristofer Shaun Fournier on July 16, 2007.

He and Const. Kristopher John Overwater have pleaded not guilty to intending to wound Fournier by firing a Glock .40-calibre handgun, aggravated assault and obstruction of justice.

A bullet hit Fournier, 23, in his buttocks after three other shots missed him. He earlier testified he was shot after leading police on a high-speed chase because he was high on meth and had cocaine on him.

Five arrested in city drug raid

FIVE people were arrested following a drug bust in the city on the weekend.

Winnipeg police said officers raided a residence in East Kildonan on Edison Street Saturday night, seizing 70 grams of cocaine and $30,000 in cash.

Four people were arrested at the Edison Street apartment: two men, aged 24 and 21 years, and two women, aged 23 and 21 years.

A second raid occurred across town later Saturday night on Bannerman Avenue, where police found 11 grams of marijuana, brass knuckles, bear spray, a baton and $2,000 cash.

A 25-year-old man was arrested at Bannerman Avenue.

All five people are facing drug or weapon-related offences. They were released on a promise to appear in court at a later date.

Police said the estimated street value of the cocaine is about $5,600. The marijuana has an estimated street value of about $165.

The raids and arrests were the result of an investigation that began in November.

Attempted-murder charge

A 15-year-old boy has been charged with attempted murder for the early Saturday-morning shooting on the Long Plain First Nation.

The victim, 41-year-old Barry Myran of Winnipeg, was rushed to Health Sciences Centre with a bullet wound to the head.

A Winnipeg Regional Health Authority spokeswoman said Myran was still in critical condition Monday morning.

Family members said Myran is on life-support.

Myran was shot after he went to visit his father on the reserve.

News reports said four boys asked to be let into the home just after 1 a.m. Saturday on the pretext of getting out of the cold. Myran was shot. His father was not injured. The boys fled.

The boy appeared in Portage la Prairie provincial court Monday morning and was remanded back into custody, with another court appearance set for Thursday morning.

Gearing up for math contest

OFFICIALS are counting the days until the 57th annual Manitoba Mathematical Contest.

Organizer Robert Craigen, a professor in the University of Manitoba's mathematics department, invites all Grade 12 students with strong math skills to talk to their math teacher about registering for the contest. Registration deadline is Thursday. The test, which carries prizes of $9,400 in cash and tuition waivers, is on Feb. 21.

For students to take part, schools need to register at http://server.maths.umanitoba.ca/craigen/manitobamathletics/mmc/index.html.

English, French and home-schooled students can take part.

For more information, email Craigen at craigenr@cc.umanitoba.ca.

The contest is sponsored by the Manitoba Association of Mathematics Teachers, the Winnipeg Actuaries' Society, the University of Manitoba, and the Canadian Mathematical Society.

New centre for busy charity

A Winnipeg charity that helps an estimated 200 families a month with clothing, small appliances, household items and furniture is opening a new centre on Provencher Boulevard.

The Centre Flavie Laurent started as part of the Catholic Health Corporation of Manitoba at an address on Marion Street in 2005.

The centre will hold grand opening at its new address, 450 Provencher, on Feb. 22.

Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger, Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz and St. Boniface Conservative MP Shelly Glover are expected to attend the opening, the centre said in a statement Monday.

Two receive Jubilee medals

CONSERVATIVE MP Lawrence Toet presented two Queen's Diamond Jubilee medals over the weekend to men whom he praised for their community work.

Steve Mymko and Dave Stewart were awarded the honour on separate occasions.

"Both have worked hard to make the community around them a better place for all. They have given countless hours to projects and groups that make Elmwood-Transcona a greater place to live," Toet said in a statement. He represents the federal riding of Elmwood-Transcona.

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee commemorative medal was created to honour the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth ascent to the throne.

A total of 60,000 medals will be presented to Canadians as a way to celebrate the Queen's reign and the outstanding achievements by Canadians during the last 60 years of her rule.

-- staff

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 5, 2013 B2